Pin and hoop game



1960 M. KESSLER 2,965,376

PIN AND HOOP GAME Filed Nov. 12, 1958 INVENTOR l6 'M/L rov KESSLER ATTORNEY Uni States mm PIN AND HOOP GAME Milton Kessler, 4535 Grove Drive, Youngstown, Ohio Filed Nov. 12, 1958, Ser. No. 773,250-

3 Claims. or. 273-104 This invention relates to a game of the hoop or ring toss type, and has for its major object the provision of a novel game of this type which can be played indoors and is so constructed that it can be shipped, mailed, or sold in knocked-down condition, and can be readily assembled by the user to provide an interesting ring-toss game which is sufficiently difiicult to challenge the skill of players of all ages.

Another object is to provide a game of simple and rugged construction, which is inexpensive to manufacture, and which has a greater novelty of arrangement of playing pieces than conventional riug-toss games.

A further object is to provide a ring-toss game which is scored in a manner to simulate the scoring in bowling, and which can therefore be used to instruct children in the proper manner of keeping a bowling score.

Still another object is to provide a ring-toss game of sufficient size to be sturdy and stable wherever placed without additional support, but which can be readily disassembled and stored in a flat container so as to require relatively little space.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a game apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. 1a is a view of a hoop or ringsuitable for use with the game apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the assembled game apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 1's a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a developed view of the supporting member for the game apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the tab and slot connection for holding the structure in a folded position.

The game apparatus, when assembled, suggests an Indian Wigwam, or teepee having a base or wall portion 2 in the form of a truncated triangular pyramid formed of sheet material. A suitable material for this purpose is fairly stiff cardboard, although any other reasonably rigid sheet material will be satisfactory for the purpose.

Fig. 4 shows a developed view of sheet material of which the pyramid is formed. This sheet is creased along the lines 3, 4, and 6, so that it can be readily folded. Along each crease line the material is slitted as shown 7 and 8 at one or more points and the ends of the slit lines are joined by creased lines as shown at 9 and 11 to form a retainer 12 for a dowel rod or other suitable sticklike member 13 when the sheet is folded as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Although two such retainers 12 are shown at each crease line, it will be apparent that one elongated retainer could be formed, or conversely, more than two may be employed if desired. When the pyramid is folded into operative condition, the retainers 12 are bent in the opposite direction from the crease 3, as best shown in Fig. 3, to form a loop for retaining the dowel rod 13. This ice 4 and 6, as will be apparent from the drawing.

A flap 14is provided beyond crease 6, and so proportioned that when the structure is folded, the flap 14 will overlie side 16 of the triangular pyramid. Slots 17 are cut all the way through the material of side 16, and flap 14 is provided with T-shaped tabs 18 corresponding in number and location to the slots 17. Tabs 18 are creased along lines 21, so that they can be folded over as shown in Fig. 5 for insertion into slots 17 during assembly, After this insertion, the folded-over sub-tabs 22 spring out by their natural elasticity and securely lock the structure together.

After the pyramid structure has been properly assembled with the retaining loops 12 all formed as shown, three rods 13 can be inserted through the loops to form the threepronged top structure shown in the figures. The thus protruding tops of the rods 13 serve as the target pins, upon which a hoop 24, or several such hoops, may be thrown. The hoops are preferably of such a diameter that even when thrown over all three of the prongs, they cannot slip down flat upon the floor, but. will be retained by the triangular pyramid as shown in Fig. 3. This facilitates easy removal of the hoops, which are preferably light weight rings made of tubular plastic material, preferably in different colors to both enhance their appearance and to facilitate identification by the players. The walls of the triangular pyramid or teepee can also be decorated with Indian decorations to suggest a Wigwam, and to improve the appearance of the game.

A preferred method of playing and scoring is for each player to throw two hoops in succession. If a hoop engages a single prong, this can count, for example, 5 points; if the hoop engages two prongs, this can count 10 points; if the hoop engages all three prongs, and encircles the body of the Wigwam, this can count 20 points. If both the first and second hoops engage all three prongs, giving a score of 40 points, this can count as a spare and entitle the player to an extra turn, as in bowling. The score derived from tossing the two loops (including the extra throw provided for the suggested score of 40) may be considered a frame. If two extra throws are awarded in the case of a fifth frame of 60 points, it will be apparent that a perfect score of 300 points, plus a bonus of 40, is possible. It has been found that this type of scoring greatly enhances the interest of the game.

It will be apparent that the structure shown can be readily dissassembled, and folded flat in a space very little larger than that required by one wall of the pyramid. Preferably a box is provided of suitable dimensions to hold the folded pyramid and the rods. The box should also be large enough to accommodate the playing hoops, which are preferably made of successively smaller radii, so that they can be nested flat in the box in order to reduce the dimensions thereof. It will also be apparent that the pyramid need not be the triangular form, but could equally well be a rectangular pyramid, or any other polygonal pyramid.

It will be apparent that the embodiments shown are only exemplary and that various modifications can be made in construction and arrangement Within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus for a hoop throwing game comprising a member of rigid cardboard having flexible creases folded into the form of a truncated pyramid, rodengaging members at the corner edges of said pyramid, rod members respectively retained by said rodengaging members in said corner edges, said rod members being of sufficient length to project through the truncated top of the pyramid to a common point, and extending beyond I 6 7 said paint to form aseries of outwardly diverging prongs for engaging a thrown ring member.

2. The invention according-to claim 1, said sheet member being fo'rmed to define a series bf' adjacenttr'uncated isosceles triangles connected respectively at the crease lines forming equal sides of saidt riangles, said connection lines being foldably creased for assembly and for disassembly into substantially flat form, rodrtaining loops being formed-011 the line of said creases by cutting and folding back portions of said sheet material.

3. The invention according to claim 2, and a flat member attached to one of -said equal sides and shaped to overlie a portion of an adjacent side wall, and provided with tabs for engaging cooperating slots in said adjacent side wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Johnson et a1. July 17, 1956 Shepherd Oct. 15, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany 1 a- Nov. 8, 1 912 Great Britain 1'914 

